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Michael De Santa
"Look, you wake up one day and your legs, they just give, and you just can't run anymore." : ―Michael De Santa to Franklin Clinton, explaining why he betrayed Trevor in Fresh Meat Michael De Santa, formerly Michael Townley, is one of the three protagonists in Grand Theft Auto V, along with Franklin Clinton and Trevor Philips. Michael's story centers around how his seemingly idyllic and halcyon lifestyle is brought to a halt as his past demons and morally compromising mistakes come back to haunt him. Meanwhile, his midlife crisis pushes him to his ultimate snapping point. History Background : "I'm just a fat washed up jock who can't get his head around the fact his high school football career didn't play out the way that he planned. The only way I'm content and competent is with a gun in my hand or a price on my head." : ―Michael during his therapy session. : Michael was born in either 1965 or 1968, possibly in the Midwest, which would explain why he spent some of his criminal career in North Yankton or on the East Coast, possibly indicating why he committed his first robbery in the outskirts of Carcer City. As a child, he didn't have the luxuries and privileges that his own children have and grew up in the deprived environment of a trailer park with his parents. Like Trevor and Franklin, Michael had a tough upbringing due to his father being an alcoholic and physically abusing him. Michael's father soon abandoned him and his mother. He was told an exaggerated amount of stories of why his father left, all of which included (but weren't limited to) him skipping town, being hit by an oncoming train and even joining the navy. During his time in high school, Michael was an acclaimed quarterback for an all-state football team. Michael would often put on an amazing performance during games and occasionally had his picture in the local newspaper, but his temperament issues and a constant stream of injuries ultimately forced him to quit. : As a young adult, Michael started breaking the law. According to Michael, he'd been in prison twice by the time he was twenty. He committed his first robbery in the outskirts of Carcer City in 1988, where he managed to steal $10,000 from a small business. While in prison, Michael learned many skills, including learning how to use a tattoo gun by tattooing his name on his cellmate's buttocks. Despite his failures and shortcomings, Michael perfected his criminal skills to the point where he became an expert marksman and efficient leader amongst other things. During this period of time, he associated himself with Lester Crest, an exquisite planner that would later assist Michael in planning out heists, as well as other tasks. : In 1993, Michael met Trevor Philips while he was escorting cargo across the border. While Trevor waited on the runway to meet his unknown employer, he noticed not one, but two dust trails coming up the road, despite the fact that he was told there'd only be one person meeting him with the cargo. Michael exited the first vehicle, while an older civilian exited the second. As it turned out, the older civilian had been carjacked by Michael. As Michael tried to make a hasty escape on foot, the older civilian attempted to get Trevor's attention as to what just happened. Trevor approached the civilian and fired off a flare gun into the man's eye, brutally killing him. He and Michael dumped the body into a lake after landing a plane. Trevor stated that the experience was horrible, as the flare was still burning from the inside of the man's skull as they dropped him off into the lake. Trevor and Michael both threw up after landing the plane since the dead man's stench was still inside the cockpit. After noticing how well they worked with each other, Michael brought an aimless Trevor under his wing as a partner for various crimes he would commit. They were both somewhat successful at their profession, but Michael claims that they were always impecunious and constantly on the run from the law, as Trevor's rage issues would cause him to murder someone in broad daylight and Michael's circumspection and foresight as well as his distinctive style of quoting from Solomon Richards' films (thus drawing attention) would cause him and Trevor to leave town after completing a job. : : :